The Bengals have been floated as a possible landing spot for two cornerbacks ahead of the November 10th trade deadline, but the fit isn’t the same for both names.
Bradley Locker of PFF pointed Cincinnati toward Zyon McCollum and Brandon Stephens, a pair that would give the Bengals depth at corner if they decide they need it. That said, there’s a real difference between the two options.
McCollum is the less convincing target. Locker noted, "The Bears and Bengals could also make particular sense given McCollum’s superior man coverage work (69.4 PFF coverage grade) and their higher rates of utilizing the look, although McCollum was actually better in zone in 2024 and 2025."
The numbers don’t exactly scream upgrade. Through four games this season, McCollum has a career-worst missed tackle rate of 15.8%, just behind Jordan Battle’s 16.7%.
His play in coverage has also been shaky by the raw results: a 108.7 QB rating allowed when targeted and a 70.0 completion percentage allowed. PFF has him 64th among 103 cornerbacks, which is ahead of Dax Hill at 77th, but Hill is also having the best year of his career, with a 68.4 QB rating when targeted and a 47.8 completion percentage allowed.
McCollum would also likely come cheaper than Stephens, but that doesn’t make him the better answer. The Bengals already saw plenty of his confidence before Week 1, when he said, “There will be no better feeling than when we take away three, four interceptions.”
McCollum finished that game against Cincinnati with nine tackles, one tackle for loss, and two passes defended.
Stephens, on the other hand, looks like the more sensible swing if the Bengals want help at corner. Locker wrote, "Pittsburgh and Detroit could have interest given their needs, while Stephens’ 88.7 man coverage grade would be enticing to Chicago and Cincinnati.”
The Bengals know Stephens well from his time with the Ravens, where he spent his first four seasons and started 48 games. He also shares a similar career path with Hill, having started as a safety before moving to corner. Like Hill, Stephens is on pace for the best season of his six-year career.
Through four games, Stephens has allowed a 64.8 QB rating when targeted and a 45.5 completion percentage. He also has a 0.0 missed-tackle rate, which would stand out for a Bengals defense still working through issues in that area. PFF currently ranks him as the 14th-best cornerback in the league.
His contract runs through the 2027 season, and the guarantees expire after this year, which makes him a more attractive long-term piece if Cincinnati wants insurance at the position. The catch is that the Jets probably won’t move him unless their season goes off the rails.
Even with those two names on the board, cornerback may not be where the Bengals need to spend. DJ Ivey has looked ready for a breakout in four games, including his first start in Week 4, and Dax Hill is on pace for his best pro season. If Cincinnati does make a deadline move, safety and linebacker look like the more obvious places to shop.
For now, the Bengals could get by without adding a corner at all. If they do decide to act, Stephens makes sense. McCollum mostly doesn’t.
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